Bridgewater State University brings back $50,000 gift to Bridgewater, but one councilor says it’s not enough

Thursday

Mar 31, 2011 at 12:01 AMMar 31, 2011 at 12:13 PM

An annual gift of $50,000 from Bridgewater State University to the town of Bridgewater is being restored after being eliminated last year.

But one town councilor says the move is "just for publicity."

Maribeth Conway

Bridgewater State University is restoring its annual gift of $50,000 to the town and while some people are grateful to get the funds, one town councilor says the money is an insult.

“It’s just for publicity. They’re throwing us a few crumbs,” said Town Councilor Peter Riordan, who is also chairman of the town’s mitigation committee that is attempting to get more revenue from the state university and prison.

“Don’t give us any gifts. Give us the money we are due,” he said.

For years, the town has sought additional money from the university to help cover the cost of town services – such as fire, police and road maintenance – used by the university population.

In recent years, the university has given the town an annual gift of $50,000, but eliminated it last year.

Riordan said economic reasons were cited for the elimination of the gift, while state Rep. Angelo D’Emilia, R-Bridgewater, said that only the university could explain why the gift was stopped. But he added that the relationship between the town and college was likely to blame.

“I think it’s obviously not a big secret, the friction of elected officials in town and the leadership of the university was part of the problem,” D’Emilia said.

University officials and Town Manager Troy Clarkson did not comment on the gift Wednesday.

Clarkson was scheduled to meet today with D’Emilia and university President Dana Mohler-Faria at 3 p.m. to discuss details regarding the annual gift.

“At that time they will make themselves available (for comment and questions),” university spokesperson Eva Gaffney said.

D’Emilia said the restoration of the annual gift signifies a strengthening relationship between the town and university.

“We’re talking about a win-win. We want to feel we’re getting something out of it and that they’re getting something out of it,” D’Emilia said. “I think (the president) realizes, in order for the university to continue to flourish, the host community has to flourish also.”

As for Riordan’s criticism, D’Emilia called the restoration of the gift a “first step.”

“This is a nice first step. Are there other things we hope to see the university help out with? Absolutely,” D’Emilia said.

Riordan said there’s a history of frustrations and pointed to the lack of a sewer agreement with Bridgewater State University, which taps into the town’s sewer system. The university is becoming a bigger strain on the town system because of its growth in recent years, he said.

In contrast, the University of Massachusetts-Amherst pays the town of Amherst well over $1.75 million annually for water and sewer services and is charged the same rate as all other town customers, Amherst Public Works Superintendent Guilford Mooring said.

“The residents are paying all the bills,” Riordan said of Bridgewater. “One hundred percent and it’s tough because the economy is tough. We’re looking for help and we’re getting rejected.”

Town Councilor Michael Demos reported in October that the town receives about $250,000 a year from the state as a payment in lieu of taxes for the university and the prison.

But he also said a state park in Brewster is similarly compensated by the state although the forest likely requires significantly less service than a university.

In fact, Nickerson State Park, which is about 2,000 acres and has a campground with 500 to 600 campsites, brings in about $450,000 per year from the state in lieu of taxes, Brewster Town Administrator Charles Sumner said.

In 2008, the university paid for a $378,000 fire engine for Bridgewater, although Riordan and others have said the university only provided the money because the engine was necessary to reach a tall building on campus.

Riordan also said the town is losing property tax revenue as the university continues to acquire private Bridgewater properties, such as two homes on Plymouth Street that were purchased by the university in August.

“This ($50,000) looks like new money, a great gift, but it isn’t,” Riordan said.

Maribeth Conway may be reached at mconway@enterprisenews.com.

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